The present invention relates to a portable restroom. More specifically, the present invention relates to the floor structure of a portable restroom which includes unique supports to provide a more rigid floor, and which includes a unique water tank feature which provides a flushing capability for the restroom.
Portable restrooms are a widely used and very convenient part of today's society, providing facilities at many different locations when necessary. For example, these portable restrooms are often used at public events such as sporting events, outdoor concerts, public meetings, etc. In each of these applications, large groups of people are expected to attend, thus being overwhelming to any existing restroom facilities.
While the public clearly understands that the portable restrooms will not include the conveniences of home restrooms, it is still desirable to make these facilities as appealing and comfortable as possible. In this regard, several concerns include cleanliness, sufficient space to feel comfortable, and a sufficient structure so the user will experience a minimal level of privacy.
Along these lines, there are several mechanisms to provide these desired features. Initially, the structural integrity and strength of the portable restroom should be at a level where the user feels like they are in a strong and rigid structure, thus providing some feeling of security and comfort. Naturally, this must be balanced with the portable nature of the structure. Specifically, the structure must provide the desired solid/rigid feel, while also being light enough to be transportable. This creates a natural trade-off which must be balanced by the restroom manufacturer. While the strength of all components creating the structure are important, one obvious component that provides a concern has been the strength of the floor. More specifically, the floor in many prior art restrooms is somewhat flimsy and flexible, such that it will bow or flex when a user enters the restroom. When this occurs, immediate feedback is provided to the user, suggesting that the restroom is not extremely strong or rigid, thus inherently affecting their feeling of comfort.
In addition to the desired comfort and security, other features also affect the user's overall feeling of using portable restrooms. For example, features such as running water to provide hand washing capabilities, along with flushing mechanisms will provide a more comfortable and pleasing experience for the user. Naturally, adding these features or functions requires additional systems within the portable restroom, which complicates the overall product and adds to the cost/complexity involved in manufacturing. Thus, any design which efficiently adds these capabilities is very valuable.
In specifically considering the flushing feature, this requires a source of fresh water to be available within the portable restroom. Typically this requires an additional tank to hold flushing water, which is separate from the waste tank. As set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 6,327,719, assigned to the assignee of the present application, one possible location for this flushing water is within the restroom base itself. This requires that the base provide a source for appropriate reservoirs to contain this water designed into the particular component. That said, complications do exist related to the formation of a water holding tank within the base. Specifically, it is difficult to create a single tank which has inner-connected water ways and effectively utilizes all of the available area within the base unit. Further, when the portable restroom is utilized in unleveled locations, this single flushing tank becomes very problematic as available water will naturally migrate to a single side or edge of the base reservoir. Consequently, this single reservoir within the base unit is not completely ideal for all applications.